Bench plane



14, 1956 A. J. SWANSON ETAL 2,758,619

BENCH PLANE Filed Oct. 8, 1954 INVENTOR5 1 wwalfi Nb mm J: .3. SW hum m Q\W Q m m ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent BENCH PLANE Albert J. Swanson and Ronald C. 'Swanson, Oak Lawn, Ill. Application October 8, 1954, Serial No. 461,056

1 Claim. (Cl. 145-5) This invention relates to a bench plane, and more specifically to a woodworking plane cast in one piece and formed of aluminum.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a light weight bench plane which will stand up under severe and long usage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bench plane with the handle thereof disposed adjacent the cutting point whereby the user is afforded better control over the tool and which facilitates planing when using only one hand.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bench plane with integrally formed handle and palm engaging extension which will never loosen, a condition frequently found in conventional planes.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bench plane wherein it is unnecessary to disassemble the plane when it becomes clogged.

This invention also contemplates the provision of means for adjusting independently each corner of the cutting blade whereby the tool may be used as a ra-bbet plane.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specification, when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan View of a bench plane constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the plane shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, taken on the inclined plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view taken on the vertical plane of line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral designates, in general, a cast aluminum bench plane constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. The plane 10 comprises an elongated substantially rectangular base 12 having a smooth planar bottom surface 14. An integrally formed handle 16 projects upwardly from the base 12 adjacent the rear end of the plane 10 and is inclined forwardly thereof. To provide a better and firmer grip, the handle 16 is checked as at 18.

The upper end of the handle 16 is provided with a forwardly and downwardly inclined extension 20 which is integrally formed with a relatively thin longitudinally extending web 22 having a substantially triangular configuration. The base of the web 22 is integral with the base 12 and is provided with a transversely extending finger opening 24 adjacent the handle 16. The other side of the web 22 is constructed with an integrally formed, forwardly and downwardly inclined blade supporting flange 26 which projects laterally on each side thereof. Blade engaging abutments 28 (only one being illustrated) arise from the flange 26 adjacent its upper end and are disposed transversely thereof.

A substantially arcuately shaped web 30 has an end thereof integral with the flange 26, and the other end thereof curves forwardly and downwardly and terminates in an enlarged, forwardly extending, elongated, substantially rectangular plate 32. The under side 34 of the plate 32 is inclined inwardly and upwardly from its outer end 36 to serve a purpose to be described, and the outer end 36 is spaced upwardly from the plane of the under surface 14 of the base 12. The inner end of the plate 32 is under cut to provide a recess 38 in confronting relation with respect to the forward end of the base 12.

integrally formed hollow bosses 40, 42 project laterally from the arcuate web 30, one being disposed on each side thereof, with the bores thereof extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the upper side of the blade supporting flange 26. Each bore is lined with an internally threaded steel sleeve 44, 46 which is adapted to receive the plate adjusting and tensioning screws 48, 50, respectively.

Adjacent the juncture of the lower forward end of the arcuate web 30 With the inner end of the plate 32, enlarged hollow bosses 52, 54 are disposed on opposite sides of the web 30. Each boss receives an internally threaded collar 56, 58 which, in turn, has threaded engagement with the thumb screws 60, 62 held under tension by helicoidal springs 64, 66 surrounding the shanks thereof with their respective opposite ends abutting against the adjacent ends of the bosses 52, 54 and the enlarged heads 68, 70 of the screws 60, 62. As seen in Figure 2 of the drawing, the screws 60, 62 are inclined inwardly at an acute angle to the plane of the undersurface 14.

Adjacent the forward end 36 a pair of laterally spaced rivets 72, 74 secure the forward end of an adjusting plate 76, having a rectangular configuration, against the angularly inclined under surface 34, the inner end of the plate 76 extending across the recess 38 and terminating adjacent to but spaced from the inclined forward end 14 of the base 14.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the inner ends of the screws 60, 62 have bearing engagement with the plate 76 on opposite sides thereof.

A substantially U-shaped cutting blade 78 having a sharpened cutting edge 80 is disposed on the flange 26 with the arms 82, 84 thereof positioned on opposite sides of the web 30, and the arms engage adjacent their respective upper ends against the abutments 28. The bight of the blade 78 bears against the lower end of the flange 26 and the forward end 14' of the base 14.

A substantially U-shaped cutter cap 86 is superposed on the cutting blade 78, the cap 86 having a shorter length than the blade 78, and the cap and blade each having substantially the same widths, which are, preferably, one sixty-fourth of an inch wider than the width of the casting. The arms 88, 90 of the cap 86 rest on the arms 82, 84 of the blade 78, and their respective bights are in bearing engagement. As seen in Figure 2, the cap 86 and blade 78 are fixedly mounted on the flange 26 by the inner ends of the screws 48, 50.

To set the blade 78 for use, the holding screws 48, 50, 60 and 62 are first loosened several turns. The cutting edge 80 of the blade 78 is then loosely engaged against a straight piece of wood and the holding screws 48, 50 are then tightened. Thereafter, the plate 76 is adjusted by the thumb screws 60, 62 to the desired cutting depth. All adjustments of cutting depth are made with these screws and the blade 78 will not require adjustment along the flange 26 until the blade 78 requires resharpenmg.

By providing the adjusting screws 60, 62, provision is made for adjusting the depth of the cut at either side of the blade 78 independently, in case the blade 78 is set too deep on one side or the other of the plane 10. This feature of the invention takes the place of the side adjusting lever ordinarily found in the conventional plane.

It should also be noted that in the plane 10 of the instant invention, should the shavings clog, the same may be pushed out laterally, whereas in the ordinary plane, it is necessary that it be taken apart in order to accomplish this object.

The handle 16 being a part of the casing, can never loosen, and the shape of the handle 16 taken together with the finger hold 24 permits a firmer grip than is possible in the conventional plane. Additionally, the conventional plane is provided with a wooden knob at the forward end thereof, which frequently becomes loosened. This is impossible in the present invention, since the palm engaging flange 31 is also a part of the casting of this plane 10.

In the present plane 10, a shorter blade 78 may be used, which permits the sloping handle 16 to be disposed closer to the cutting point of the plane 10, which gives rise to better control over the plane 10 by the user, especially when the planing is done by the use of only one hand.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An integrally formed bench plane comprising an elongated substantially rectangular base having forward and rear ends and having a handle at the rear end thereof projecting upwardly therefrom at an angle inclined toward its forward end, said base having an upwardly extending web intermediate its said ends, said web terminating in a blade supporting flange inclined downwardly toward the forward end of said base, an arcuately shaped Web projecting forwardly from said flange and having a first plate extending laterally from the forward end thereof, said first plate having a bottom side thereof spaced above the plane of the under surface of said base, said first plate having a recessed surface formed therein in confronting relationship relative to the forward end of said base, an adjustment plate secured at its forward end to the forward end of the bottom side of said first plate and having its free end confronting the forward end of said base, means for securing a cutting blade on said flange, means for vertically adjusting the free end of said adjustment plate, said upwardly extending web having a transversely extending finger-receiving aperture formed therein, said arcuately shaped web having a forwardly extending palm engaging flange formed integrally therewith, said bottom side of said first plate being inclined upwardly and rearwardly relative to said base, said adjustment plate being substantially rectangular, said means for adjusting the free end of the adjustrnent plate being a pair of screws disposed on opposite sides of said arcuately shaped web, said screws being threaded through said first plate and engaging the rear end of said adjustment plate for varying the gap between the rear end of said adjustment plate and the rear end of said first plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

